Erik Davidsen is, in no particular order, divorced, a psychiatrist, Norwegian American, childless and a very lonely man.
Our first meeting with Erik is set soon after the death of his father. He and his sister, Inga, are cleaning out the deceased’s office and sorting through his papers. In the course of this, they find a note signed by someone called Lisa implying that their father had been involved in some untoward act and had been sworn to secrecy. The siblings agree to look into this, albeit with a kind of lacklustre resolve.
This mystery sits quietly in the background of the book for the most part. The majority of the book is about Erik’s unrequited attraction to his new neighbour and Inga’s conflicted feelings regarding her late husband. Intertwined with these storylines are a myriad of sub-plots that enrich the texture of the primary tales and provide vital information regarding all of the characters with the book.
Though a satisfying and stimulating tale, with abundant and perceptive observations about people, there seems to be something missing from this for me. Only one storyline feels like it’s finalised – everything else is left with little or no resolution or closure. Even the secret note found at the beginning spirals down into a rather tame revelation (though the oddly obscene way in which this is done is rather interesting).
Interesting, provocative and most definitely thoughtful.
Rating: 
